LORMAN — The last time Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson strolled into M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of Southern Miss, he did so as the defensive coordinator of a USM program that had won 23 games in his three seasons in Hattiesburg. When Hopson makes his pilgrimage back to The Rock Saturday night, he’ll bring with him an Alcorn State team that has already matched his old program’s win total from a year ago.
A lot has changed for both schools since the third-year ASU coach took over in Lorman in 2012, and Hopson is hoping his Alcorn State team can shimmy down to Hattiesburg and steal a victory from a reeling Golden Eagle squad that hasn’t won at home since November 26, 2011.
The Vicksburg native has commanded a swift turnaround as the man in charge of the Braves, bringing the program from the depths of the Southwestern Athletic Conference when he first took over to a 9-3 season in 2013 that has provided plenty of momentum heading into this year.
Alcorn State started this year with a dominating 55-7 victory over Virginia-Lynchburg at home, and the team will now turn its attention to Southern Miss. But despite the Eagles’ plummet to the cellar of Conference USA the last two seasons, Hopson knows his team will have its hands full Saturday.

“For us, we know we’ve got a strong opponent and we’ve got to get ready to go. That’s really all it is,” he said. “It should be a great atmosphere. It should be a sold out crowd — a lot fun. That’s what you play college football for.”
The aura surrounding the matchup is much different from the last time these two schools faced off in 2009, when a school record 36,232 came out to watch the Golden Eagles dominate Alcorn State 52-0 in Hattiesburg. This time, the mood in the Braves locker room is one of reserved confidence as they look to topple an FBS opponent that appears ripe for the picking.
“I hope, as a coach, we have attitude every time we line up. That’s why we play the game,” Hopson said. “I think (the players) will get excited. It’s an exciting time for football players. We’ve got a job to do. We know Southern Miss is a good football team.”
Despite losing their leading rusher from a year ago, the Braves utilized a three-pronged approach at tailback to control the game and dispose of Virginia-Lynchburg in their opener. The combination of Darryan Ragsdale, Anthony Williams and Arron Baker racked up 331 yards on the ground in the convincing win. It was a showing Alcorn State will have to repeat if the team wants to shock the college football world with an upset Saturday night.
“I’ve really been pleased with our running backs,” Hopson said. “You let those three guys compete. If one guy becomes head of the class, naturally he’s going to get more carries. All three played physical, ran the ball hard.”
Southern Miss, on the other hand, has spiraled to a 1-23 record the past two seasons and began the year with a 49-0 loss to Mississippi State in Starkville. The Golden Eagles did showcase a strong defensive line that recorded three sacks against a bigger Bulldog front, but that may have been the only positive. Still, Hopson knows his team will have to play virtually error-free football to stay in the game and possibly come away with an FBS road win.
“We think this is certainly the biggest challenge on the schedule. It’s a game that we know we’ve got to be ready to play,” Hopson said. “It’s a challenge, and it’s one that we’re certainly ready for.”